The Long, Hot Summer is a 1958 film directed by Martin Ritt, starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, and Orson Welles. The film is based on stories by William Faulkner, primarily "The Hamlet."

Plot

Ben Quick (Paul Newman) hitches a ride to Frenchman's Bend, Mississippi, from Clara (Joanne Woodward) and Eula Varner (Lee Remick). Clara's father and Eula's father-in-law is Will Varner (Orson Welles), the domineering owner of most of the town. Will sees in the brash newcomer a younger version of himself, ruthless and ambitious. These qualities are, in Will's opinion, sadly lacking in his son Jody (Anthony Franciosa).

He is also disappointed with his schoolteacher daughter; Clara's boyfriend, Alan Stewart (Richard Anderson), is a mama's boy, not the kind of son-in-law Will wants. He schemes to push his daughter and Ben together, to try to bring fresh, virile blood into the family. She, however, is (seemingly) unimpressed with the crude, if magnetic upstart. On the other hand, he sees something in her beyond the money and power Will offers.

Meanwhile, widower Will's longtime mistress, Minnie Littlejohn (Angela Lansbury), is dissatisfied with her situation. All these strained relationships come to a boil during the long, hot summer.

Cast

• Paul Newman as Ben Quick
• Joanne Woodward as Clara Varner
• Anthony Franciosa as Jody Varner
• Orson Welles as Will Varner
• Lee Remick as Eula Varner
• Angela Lansbury as Minnie Littlejohn
• Richard Anderson as Alan Stewart
• Sarah Marshall as Agnes Stewart
• Mabel Albertson as Mrs. Stewart
• J. Pat O'Malley as Ratliff
• Bill Walker as Lucius

Remakes

It was remade as a 26-part television series of the same name, airing in 1965 and 1966, with Dan O'Herlihy, Roy Thinnes, Nancy Malone, Lana Wood, Ruth Roman, and Edmond O'Brien.

It was remade again for TV in 1985, with Jason Robards, Don Johnson, and Cybill Shepherd (in the role of Eula). It received two Emmy nominations, for Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special.

Trivia

• It was filmed on location in Louisiana.
• Newman and Woodward married after the completion of the movie.
• Welles wore a fake nose throughout the movie, which fell off several times during filming because of the heat.

The 1985 remake was filmed in Louisiana and Texas.

External links

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